


Memories

by RandomPersonaFanatic



Series: A Change in Cognition [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Depression, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2018-12-30 16:46:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12112974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomPersonaFanatic/pseuds/RandomPersonaFanatic
Summary: In a state of depression, Futaba is helpless to hold back her previously repressed thoughts.  It isn't until she remembers some of her happier times that she is able to fully recover.





	1. Hallucinations

**Author's Note:**

> Warning before you, the reader, go in; the first chapter is rather depressing. It is more optimistic in every other chapter, though. The story also takes place only a couple weeks before Akira leaves, though this will not be addressed until the final chapter.

Futaba opened the door. The sound of wood scraping against wood was loud against her ears, and it was still ringing as she entered the Sakura abode. She closed the door behind her and carefully placed the bag of groceries on the nearby kitchen counter. It was then when she heard a steady knocking.

Tap tap tap.

She brought her hands up to her headphones, pushing them down as hard as she could against her ears, trying to block the sound out. But it was no use.

Tap tap tap.

Her fingers curved in, scratching at her ears. She crouched down and shut her eyes as hard as she could, feeling a sudden burst of pain in her head.

Tap tap tap.

Gradually, she opened her eyes and rose from her helpless position. She was still by the kitchen counter, but everything seemed to have more of a... greenish tint to it. Everything but a lone, silver knife, casually laying on the counter as though someone had put it there for her to see. The intricate designs seemed to beckon to her, and the gleaming blade smiled promisingly at the young teenager.

Tap tap tap.

The rhythmic tapping suddenly began again, louder and more apparent than before. She turned around, dropping the knife carelessly onto the tiled floor. A small cut had formed at one of her wrists, right next to one of the main artery veins. She was frantically scanning the kitchen, fearful for no real reason when her eyes rested in the direction of the living room.

Tap tap tap.

She quietly walked over, as though she was in a trance. Her eyes flicked around the room, searching for what had drawn her there. Almost absent-mindedly, she walked towards the coffee table, positioned between a large, three-man couch and a wide-screen TV. It was at that moment when her eyes stared at it. A silver pistol, laying there, armed and ready to fire.

Tap tap tap.

Startled, Futaba nearly fell over on the spot. The tapping seemed louder than before, by a multitude. She grasped at her headphones and closed her eyes, stumbling around and knocking the gun off of the table. The gun slid underneath of the couch, but Futaba wasn't there to see that.

Tap tap tap.

The knocking kept getting louder and louder. No matter where she went, she could hear it. It wasn't until she had reached her bedroom door when she heard it again. But this time, it was… quiet.

Tap tap tap...

The tapping died out as she opened the door. It creaked open, creating an ear-piercing sound in the deafening silence. Futaba tenderly walked into her room; the very room that she had spent most of her life cooped up inside. It was here that everything was a dark shade of green, and strange figures in the shadows whispered into her ear. They whispered about her failures, her weaknesses, her faults. They cursed her, they yelled, they screamed. Just when the Sakura thought she couldn't take it anymore, her mind focused on the middle of the room. It was there where she saw two items.

One, a small set of foldable stairs. They gave a lot of height, and looked light, light enough to kick away if someone stood on top…

Two, clothes. Clothes hung like a rope from the ceiling fan, ending off in a loop. A loop that looked strangely promising, a loop that looked oddly familiar. She took a step towards what she believed to be comfort, towards what she believed to be salvation from the screams that rang in her ears.

She took another step, and another, and another. It was when she took the first of four steps when the tapping began more apparent.

Tap tap tap.

The noise scraped her ears, and she felt them tear apart. And, despite stepping towards freedom, her heart began to beat faster and faster from an impossible nervousness.

Even past all of this, she took the second step. She bore through the tapping as she tried to reach for the noose, but her hands wouldn't move from the nervous position, placed carefully in front of her frantic heart.

Tap tap tap.

She took the third step. One more to go. One more, and she would be free from worry, from desire, and from wrath. One more, and she finally wouldn't be a failure. She would have reached her goal.

As she took the fourth and final step onwards, she felt herself run into something warm. And soft. Her eyes were engulfed in black as she hugged the warmth in front of her; it was a welcome break from a coldness in her heart, a coldness in her body that she hadn't noticed before. The softness and warmth started to fall away from her, and she held on tight, desperate to not lose the only comfort she had. As she reached the floor, a yell reached her ears.

"Oof!"

As she felt herself land on top of something soft, Futaba turned away from the cloth obscuring her vision.

"Futaba?"

She took a moment to register her surroundings; she was staring at the side of her bed, now neat and clean. The room wasn't greened anymore, and, as she looked at her brightened bedroom, Futaba realized that she was laying on top of Akira, holding him in a giant bear hug.

More specifically, her position on top of Akira instantly registered in her brain as "suggestive" and "lewd", rather than the "comforting" and "warm" that had been in her mind previously.

"AAAH!"

Futaba pulled away from her death grip and stood up, quickly brushing herself off and turning her blushing head away from Akira.

"It's not what you think!" she yelled, hot in the face. She began muttering to herself so softly that even Akira's dog-like ears could not hear.

Akira looked at her curiously, before closing turning the distance between the two from "close" to "nonexistent". He held her at his chest, and Futaba started crying quietly into the comforting shirt. He patted the orange head, whispering comforting words, words of praise, words of love, all the while patting her head and planting a lone kiss onto her forehead. While he might not have known exactly what was going on, he knew enough that the Sakura was distressed. And who better to relieve Futaba of this stress than Akira Kurusu himself?

While calming Futaba down, he glanced at the broken ceiling fan, then at the tools laying on the floor, sighing. He'd have to fix it another day. For now, however, he had more pressing matters to attend to.


	2. Akihabara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A happier chapter. I will attempt to post weekly chapters, or, if schoolwork picks up, bi-weekly. This chapter is set in Akihabara and has the inclusion of Persona 5's Tower confidant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter! The next one should be a couple thousand words, though it'll get through multiple confidants, rather than just one like this chapter does.

Futaba woke up to the sound of tapping. As she rubbed her eyes and reached her glasses, a small, terrifying thought crossed her mind as she remembered the recent events involving this… tapping.

Akira had just gotten down from the ladder and was folding it up when he heard sniffling.

"Ah, is my little princess awake now?" he asked, smiling. His smile quickly turned into a frown as the sniffling turned into full on crying. He ran to comfort the Sakura, pulling her into a bear hug before sitting down on the bed with her.

Concerned, he began to speak in a low whisper. "Shh, it's alright Futaba. There's nothing here," he said, trying to comfort his girlfriend. "Tell me what's wrong, why don't you?"

Futaba hiccuped, trying to speak through her tears. "There was a - hic - a n-n-n..."

The young hacker's voice trailed off as she tried to get rid of the memory. Akira planted a quick kiss on her forehead, a warm relieve from the cold thoughts.

"Shh. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he whispered, trying to comfort her. "Remember the happy times we had together. Remember..."

_Begin flashbacks._

_It's a bright day, exactly a week after Valentine's Day. Akira has been dragged to Akihabara by Futaba as is now roaming the streets with her. Whenever her face lit up with excitement, Akira's heart fluttered, just a little more._

_The leader of the Phantom Thieves had been daydreaming when Futaba finally let go of his arm, running down the street._

_"Catch me if you can, sucker!" she yelled, sticking her tongue out at him. Akira smiled, taking his time to navigate from the ever-growing crowd. Not before long, the crowd was behind him and he was watching the Sakura run down the near-empty section of Akihabara, past the electronics store, past the arcade…_

_Scrap that. Futaba had done a complete 180 before running into the arcade. Akira broke into a small jog, entering soon behind her. He found her watching someone play Gun About._

_"Wow," she stated under her breath after the round ended. "He's just as good as you, Jok- I mean, Akira!" Futaba muttered something to herself about that nickname as Joker patted her on the head. When she looked up, she saw the cocky grin she oh-so-loved plastered onto his face._

_"Who do you think I learned from?" Akira asked, jabbing his finger at the direction of the most recent player: a boy wearing a blue jacket and a hat that read "Get Smoked"._

_"Yo, Akira!"_

_"Yo!"_

_Shinya walked over to the couple, shaking hands with Akira._

_"It's been a year since we last met, hasn't it?" Akira commented._

_"Sure has," Shinya responded. "You haven't gotten rusty, I hope?"_

_"'Course not. I wouldn't let those skills go to waste, you know."_

_Futaba looked between the two, before interrupting the two, walking in between. She turned to look at her boyfriend._

_"Akira, you know this person?" Futaba asked._

_"Of course I do. He's the King I told you about a while ago. Do you remember that?" Akira responded, reminiscing about the old days in the Metaverse. It had been over a year since he had lost the ability to enter the Metaverse._

_This time, it was Shinya who butted into the conversation._

_"Who's this girl?" he asked, curious. Akira swore he saw a slight blush go up the King's cheeks, but, before he had the chance to look more carefully, Shinya had pulled down his cap._

_"Oh, right. Introductions," Akira said, pretending to slap himself in the forehead. "Futaba, this is Shinya, the King of Gun About. Shinya, this is Futaba, my girlfriend."_

_Futaba hit him lightly on the arm. "I thought I told you not to call me that!" she complained, pouting._

_Akira landed a quick kiss on her cheek and began saying something before Shinya had pulled his cap back up, only slightly red in the ears now. Not that either of the lovebirds noticed, of course. "So, you want me to show you how to play? Or am I gonna have to awkwardly stand here waiting for you two to finish up?"_

_Futaba sighed in mock ignorance. "Fine. Show me how to play. If Akira can learn it then so can I!"_

_The majority of their afternoon was then spent playing Gun About and other arcade games with Shinya. It wasn't until Shinya's mom had texted him that it was time to go that the two groups parted ways._

_It had been a good day._

_Sorry for the depressing last chapter, everyone! I've decided to write other parts to this story; mostly about flashbacks to Futaba and Akira meeting some of Akira's confidants._

_Personally, I had always found it interesting how Futaba and Akira spent a large amount of their time at Akihabara and we don't get to see any scenes with Shinya._

_If you have any ideas for the next confidant we should meet, leave a review with their arcana (and any ideas for things that should be included)!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for reading this chapter! Any pieces of criticism are appreciated, as I'm just an amateur at writing fanfics.


	3. Kanda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira brings Futaba with him for some business in Kanda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the last emotional chapter, I swear.
> 
> No promises though.

_Rewind.  Scratch frame.  Play memory._

 

_An air of respect and peace was apparent at Kanda, Tokyo.  The couple walked through the surprisingly quiet streets and arrived at the cathedral._

 

_“Why did you take me here?” Futaba whispered.  Akira simply responded with what he had for the entire trip: a finger to his lips, a shush, a smirk, and a wink.  He entered the building with Futaba trailing behind him._

 

_Futaba looked around the cathedral.  While it wasn’t her first time being here, it brought back a lot of memories.  Her grimace didn’t go unnoticed, however, as Akira had wrapped his arm around her shoulders._

 

_The two headed towards the end of the hall, towards the memorial for Wakaba Ishiki.  Akira muttered a quick prayer under his breath before nodding at Futaba to do the same.  She nearly choked up, trying to think of what to say, but the comforting arm compelled her to speak._

 

_“Mom...” she began, hesitating.  She looked towards Akira for guidance._

 

_“Go on,” he said._

 

_Futaba swallowed before resuming.  “Mom… I know that I wasn’t the best child, but I’ve come to terms with that.  It wasn’t long ago that I… we put down the killer and avenged you.  Thank you for giving me a reason to live on, and showing me that while the world might be filled with rotten adults, these rotten adults can sometimes bring the best out of people.”_

 

_The two had a moment of silence before turning to leave.  They had just passed the great doors to see two familiar people mid-conversation.  A girl, about the same age as Akira, was sporting a small, red rope in her long, black hair.  She was speaking to a woman with a camera hanging loosely by her side, sunglasses on her forehead, and a coconut shaped hairstyle.  The long-haired girl was speaking._

 

_“I told you already, I’m not answering any questions today!”  The coconut-haired woman said something the couple couldn’t quite make out and making the long-haired girl almost reel back in surprise.  “What?  No!  This is just where I practice in my spare time.  Now, if you’ll excuse me-”_

 

_As she walked away from the reporter, the two saw Akira and Futaba standing by the door._

 

_“Oh!  Akira!  What a pleasant surprise!” the reporter said.  “I was just asking  Ms. Togo here a few questions about her career in shogi.  Did you know? I hear she’s making a comeback!”_

 

_Hifumi shot a glare at the reporter, then back at Akira.  “You know this lady?  She’s been bugging me this entire day for information.”  The shogi player sighed.  “Seems like the paparazzi follow me wherever I go...”_

 

_“Yeah, I know Ohya,” Akira responded.  “I’ll get her off your tail for the day.  Not like I have anything important this afternoon.  Also, good luck on your next tournament!”_

 

_“Thanks!” Hifumi said, wearing a smile that reminded Futaba a little too much of a certain other someone.  “See you around!”_

 

_As the shogi player entered the cathedral doors, Ohya sighed.  “So you two know each other?” she inquired.  “Platonically or-”_

 

_“It’s platonic,” Futaba answered quickly.  Ohya looked pleasantly surprised, as though she had only then noticed Futaba was there.  “Oh!  I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch your name.  And you are…?”_

 

_Akira sighed at Ohya’s lack of tact.  It was a wonder how she was such a successful reporter.  “Futaba, meet Ohya.  She’s the one who helped me with finding out about Kaneshiro.  Ohya, meet Futaba. She’s...” Akira took a moment to gather the right words.  “She’s a close friend of mind.”_

 

_“Oh, Futaba!  Nice to meet you!” she held out her hand, which Futaba reluctantly shook.  “I’m Ichiko Ohya, the lead writer and reporter for the Maiasa Newspaper.  And don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone about your big brother’s Phantom Thief shenanigans.  Not that I would ever, though it would make for a good story...”  Ohya took a moment to gather her thoughts, missing the fact that Futaba’s eye was twitching.  “Oh!  I must be keeping you two up.  Hurry up and go about your day!  I’ll just find someone else to interview.  Oh!  Is that...”_

 

_Futaba had barely opened her mouth before Ohya had sprinted towards an oddly familiar figure.  Akira was about to follow her when Futaba had pulled his arm.  “Ice cream.  Hunger.  Now,” she demanded.  Akira gave a quick chuckle before patting her head.  The two walked back to the station, taking the train heading towards Station Square._

 

_-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=_

 

_The two had been lucky enough to grab a seat on the subway.  Futaba had barely started to drift to sleep on Akira’s shoulder when the train stopped._

 

_“Shibuya.  This is Shibuya.”_

 

_In her drowsy state, Futaba had expected that Akira would try and wake her up.  To her surprise, however, Joker had simply put her on his back and exited the train.  It wasn’t until he arrived at a bench by the Hachiko statue when he set her down._

 

_“I wasn’t sleeping, y’know,” Futaba said, trying to pout.  Even so, she couldn’t bring herself to put that expression on her semi-sleepy face._

 

_“I know,” Akira said as a smile played on his lips.  He planted a quick kiss on her forehead and sat down next to her, wrapping his left arm around her shoulders.  “So, do you want to stay here a bit before going back to Leblanc?”_

 

_Futaba leaned in a little.  A second later, she replied.  “Whatever you want.”_

 

_The two sat there quietly for a few minutes, in a blissful peace as a slight breeze blew in their faces.  It would’ve lasted a lot longer if Akira hadn’t broken the silence.  “So, I surprised you with something pretty sad,” he pointed out.  “How about we get some crepes at the central street?  My treat.”_

 

_Akira didn’t even need to look as he felt Futaba’s face light up with a childish joy.  It was this childish joy that he had grown to love- no, that he had immediately loved at first sight.  Before Futaba could even respond, Akira sat up and held a hand out to her.  A year ago, that action would have been unfamiliar to her, threatening even.  But now, she had matured.  She didn’t need to think twice when she reached out to take his hand._

 

_“His,” she thought, as the two pushed past the bustling ground.  “I never thought I would think about someone in that way.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is already written, so just wait until next Wednesday!
> 
> Also, in terms of story, Ohya would be one of the harder ones to include without some other confidant, so I just stuck her in with Hifumi. The two are probably going to make other appearances, as all Hifumi really did was say hi.


	4. Shibuya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira and Futaba meet the confidants of the two ends of the World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of this chapter was written while I was in a hurry and fatigued. Sorry for any lackluster areas or grammatical errors.

_Akira and Futaba arrived at the crepe stand.  For some odd reason, it was quite busy today and a large line had formed.  The two stood around in line, holding hands and speaking about random things._

 

_As the couple stood in line, a gloved hand was placed onto each of their shoulders.  Futaba jerked the unfamiliar hand off of her while Akira simply put his hand on top and did a one-eighty, turning it into a quick handshake._

 

_“Hahaha!  Slick as always, Akira.”  The politician winked at the two, before continuing.  “I see you two are both in the mood for crepes?”_

 

_The politician looked at the dumbfounded look plastered on Futaba’s countenance.  He glanced down at their hands, which were currently intertwined with one another.  A warm smile encompassed his face as he began to speak, but he was too slow to draw._

 

_“Aren’t you that politician?” Futaba asked, curious and confused.  She had seen his face somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.  “The one who… erm…”_

 

_As Futaba’s mind dozed off, Akira tapped her shoulder.  She only had a moment to shake herself out of her thoughts as the line moved forward.  Akira began placing an order, speaking over his shoulder.  “That’s Toranosuke Yoshida.  He became the head of the Diet. once the incident with Shido was over.”_

 

_“That’s exactly right, Akira!”  Yoshida turned his attention back at the small redhead by Akira’s side.  “And I suppose you two had a hand in Shido’s fall?”_

 

_Futaba, once again, was surprised at this assumption.  She began to stutter when Yoshida spoke again, this time in a more hushed whisper.  “Don’t worry, I already know about all of your Phantom Thievery.  A small side effect of when he worked with me.  Oh!  Looks like it’s my turn to order!  I’ll be seeing you two around!”_

 

_Yoshida waved as the two walked away, eating their crepes.  The moment he was out of their sight, Futaba pulled Akira to the side, pinching his ear._

 

_“Ow!  Futaba!  What was that for?” Akira said, rubbing his ear._

 

_“How, may I ask, does the HEAD OF THE DIET KNOW WHO WE ARE?” she said, her voice barely rising above a yell.  Luckily, none of the passerby seemed to be paying attention to what they were saying._

 

_Akira grumbled something, at which point Futaba had started to ask a question that he waved aside.  “Look,” he said, his hand on the back of his neck.  “Most of my “outside friends”, so to speak, figured it out after a couple requests in Mementos.”_

 

_Futaba looked at him.  “By “most”, how many do you actually mean…?”_

 

_Akira sighed.  “All nine of them.”_

 

_Futaba groaned.  “Only we’re supposed to know who the Phantom Thieves were, not nearly everyone...”_

 

_Akira chuckled.  “It’s fine.  The whole world knows already, do they not?”_

 

_Indeed, there had been a small increase of peculiar stares after Akira’s name and face had made the news multiple times, most of them in an attempt to get him freed from his prison.  Yet, despite this, people acted as though he was just a normal person on the streets.  And it was probably for the better._

 

_Futaba stared at him with an uncomfortably blank expression.  It wasn’t until they had left the street and were making their way to the subway when Futaba stuffed her head into Akira’s warm body.  As he felt his shirt get a bit wet, he looked down and began to pat the redhead._

 

_“Don’t leave me like that again, alright?”_

 

_Unbeknownst to Futaba, Akira put on a wistful face before speaking.  “... I won’t.”  He pulled her back from his shirt, a quick kiss on the lips sealing the deal.  He could taste the salt from her tears, but he didn’t mind.  “I promise.”_

 

_Futaba sighed, grabbing Akira’s arm and resting her head on it.  The two walked like this until they reached the subway entrance.  In the Underground, the two explored a bit before rounding a corner and bumping into a familiar figure._

 

_As Akira helped Futaba back to her feet and helped gather the fallen papers, he caught a good look at the boy’s face.  “Mishima?”_

 

_Indeed, it was Akira’s old friend, Yuuki Mishima, who was currently staring down the ex-thief.  “Akira?  I didn’t expect that I was going to see you here!  I was about to call and ask for some help with my story, too!”_

 

_Akira looked at the excited face, quickly sighing before turning to his girlfriend.  “Futaba, this is-”_

 

_“Oh, no need to introduce us!” Mishima interrupted.  “We met at the diner, remember?”_

 

_Mishima held out his hand, which Futaba awkwardly shook.  As Mishima released his grip, Akira brought up a question about his friend’s odd behavior.  “Mishima, why are you acting so happy?”_

 

_Mishima’s eyes widened for a moment before he began to ramble.  “So you know Yoshida, right?  The politician?  I saw him a few hours and he offered me a job as his assistant when he saw the papers I was carrying around.”_

 

_Futaba gave the boy a questioning look.  “Aren’t those the papers about the Phantom Thieves or whatnot?  Akira told me about it.”_

 

_“He did?” Mishima asked.  “Well, now that I think about it, the papers he saw_ were _for my documentary about the Phantom Thieves…”  Mishima lapsed into a quick silence before he glanced at a silver watch, placed carefully onto his wrist.  “Oh shoot, I have a meeting with someone in a minute sharp!  Gotta go, see you two around!”_

 

_As the blue-haired boy rounded the corner and ran up the stairs, Futaba put a hand to her head.  “Is it just me, or has he… changed since our last meeting?”_

 

_Akira just shrugged.  “I think so?  It’s hard to keep track of how he acts, especially since he usually only calls me in the middle of the night to pelt me with questions.”_

 

_This time, Futaba let out a sigh before dragging Akira into the mall.  “Wait, why are we-”_

 

_“I heard KGB released a new album!  I want!”_

 

_Akira grinned as he let his girlfriend drag him into the CD store.  The day had been a strange mix between emotional and energetic, it seemed._

  
~~~  


As the doors closed behind him, the Wild Card saw an album labeled “Mot Is All”.  He looked around warily before picking it up and, sure enough, the coffin persona was on its cover, seemingly replacing a small city square’s humans with itself.  A sense of foreboding came over him as he put the track back and blinked, only for it to be replaced with a KGB album.

 

“There it is!” Futaba said, appearing from behind the aisles and grabbing it.  She promptly ran at the counter and impatiently tapped her foot as Akira took three seconds to get from point A to point B.  After Akira had bought the disc, the two arrived in front of the Sakura household.  Akira waved as Futaba entered the depths of her household, closing the door behind her.

 

As he walked back, he noticed something peculiar.  His phone wasn’t working, and the puddles on the ground appeared… crimson red, like blood.  He looked around the street, then at the full moon.  The area around him had apparently turned to green.

 

Akira closed his eyes and pinched his the bridge of his nose.  He could faintly hear the murmurs of static before he opened his eyes to the real world.  He checked his phone again.  This time, however, it turned on, alerting Akira that it was midnight.  Had he really spent that long with Futaba?

 

Akira shook his head, walking back to LeBlanc.  It was just his imagination, he told himself.  It was just his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might do the Death confidant next Wednesday. It'd be a bit interesting, to say the least.
> 
> Also, expect another Akira/Futaba fic out by this Sunday!


	5. Backstreets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Futaba becomes sick and Akira gets some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I'm not late! That said, if this chapter feels rushed, that's because it is. I wrote this story and finished with one hour remaining before midnight. So, yay? Anyways, I hope you enjoy this generally bland chapter.

_Futaba woke up to the sound of her phone ringing.  However, when she reached to see who had texted her, her arm refused to move.  A few minutes of pure willpower later and Futaba had the phone in her hand as she stared at it, laying sideways and letting the bed support most of the phone’s weight.  It was an invite to a dinner date, and Futaba could only get a few characters typed out before her sudden fatigue got the best of her.  She lay down and closed her eyes, dreaming of a far-off paradise…_

 

_~~~_

 

_Akira checked his phone.  No response.  Frowning, he traveled over to the front of LeBlanc to find no one there besides Sojiro.  Akira quickly began a conversation, worried for Futaba’s wellbeing and wanting to know her location._

 

_“Hey, Sojiro.  Have you seen Futaba around?”_

 

_The café owner shook his head.  “I thought she was with you.”_

 

_Akira put a hand to his head, thinking.  It was a moment before he opened his eyes again and asked, “Where does she usually stay if she’s not here?”_

 

_“In her bedroom,” Sojiro responded.  “Or Akihabara, but she’s only been there alone three times.”_

 

_“Are you sure those are the only places she goes?”_

 

_Sojiro frowned.  “How am I supposed to know?  I have a café to run here.”  The Sakura noticed Akira leaving and sighed.  “You know what?  Here.  Take this.”_

 

_As the door opened, Akira quickly turned around and caught the keys with an open hand.  He looked at Sojiro questioningly before the café owner explained, “They’re the keys to my house.  Go in and check on Futaba.  Last I saw, she was sleeping on her bed.”_

 

_Akira nodded and parted with thanks.  The moment the café was out of sight, he began to sprint towards the Sakura household.  He frantically looked through the keys before finding one that fit and entering the house._

 

_Inside of the house itself, it was generally quiet.  A whir of a powerful computer could be heard coming from the hallway where Futaba’s bedroom was located.  Akira quickly followed the sound and arrived in Futaba’s bedroom.  When he saw her sleeping on the bed, he sighed in relief before noticing something was off.  First, the monitor on the computer was completely untouched, which was unusual in itself because Futaba usually used it from 8 AM to 1 PM and set it to only turn on and off at her will.  Second, her phone was right next to her.  At first glance, it appeared as though she had simply fallen asleep while using her phone.  As Akira looked closer, however, he saw that Futaba had begun typing a response to his “date” and had been interrupted by… something.  Third, when Akira had felt her forehead, it was burning hot.  Her breathing was also irregular._

 

_It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was wrong.  Akira opened his phone, quickly texting the_

_“Neighborhood doctor” to come over, and as soon as possible._

 

_He didn’t know if it was because she could feel the worry in his messages or if she felt that she owed the ex-Phantom Thief, but Takemi arrived at the door within three minutes.  Akira let her inside and sat by anxiously, waiting for the doctor’s diagnostic on the sick redhead._

 

_An awkward silence befell them as Takemi poked around Futaba’s mouth and head.  Akira began to speak, hoping to break the silence.  “So, doctor, do you know what’s-”_

 

_Takemi quickly turned around.  “When did you realize she was sick?  What did she last do?  What, when, and where did she last eat?” the doctor said, shooting questions like bullets._

 

_Akira looked dumbfounded for a moment before regaining his posture.  He had only opened his mouth to speak when he heard a groan from the previously sleeping redhead._

 

_~~~_

 

_Futaba had… fallen asleep?  She couldn’t quite remember what had happened.  But what she did know was that a generally unfamiliar face was facing a black blob.  The black blob in question jumped up off of her gaming chair and ran over to the bed, kneeling as he did so.  “Are you alright?” the black blob, who she almost immediately recognized as Akira.  “Can you see me?”_

 

_Futaba tried to speak.  “What do you mean, can I see you?” she was tempted to say.  However, the frustration kept building up in her throat as she struggled to get a single word out.  “Akira?” she whispered, her voice hoarse and tired.  He could see the frustration splattered across her face as it became red from her struggle to speak.  He held onto her hand, stroking it to calm her down.  It wasn’t until the grip slackened when he had realized she had fallen back asleep._

 

_~~~_

 

_Akira planted a quick kiss on her oven of a forehead before turning back to the doctor.  “So, Takemi, what can I do to help her?”_

 

_A strange look flashed across her face for a split second; a look of irritation, wistfulness, and admiration.  Akira didn’t notice until he went through his memories again, talking to Futaba and attempting to comfort her._

 

_The look quickly disappeared as Takemi quickly pulled out a few doses of medicine and handed them to Akira.  “Give these to her, with water of course, over the course of the next three days.  Make sure she eats all that she can, but nothing rough or hard; that will only worsen her condition.”_

 

_Akira nodded, taking the bottle and beginning to pull out something from his pocket.  Takemi simply shook her head.  “Don’t bother.  It’s on me.”  The doctor stole a quick glance at the redhead.  “I see you care about her a lot.”_

 

_At that statement, Akira nodded.  “How much would I owe, if I had to pay for this medicine?”_

 

_“Two million yen.”_

 

_Akira looked dumbfounded, staring at Takemi.  The doctor simply chuckled.  “I’m kidding.  These are over-the-counter drugs; they hardly cost anything.  Besides, I wouldn’t give out something that expensive as a simple gift.  I have a business to run, after all.”_

 

_Akira chuckled nervously.  He never got used to the doctor’s jokes, and never will.  With a slight smile, he waved as the doctor headed down the street back to her alleyway clinic.  Once Takemi was out of his sight, he headed inside and sat beside Futaba, calling Sojiro._

 

_“Hmm?  She’s sick?  Give me a moment, I’m coming right over.”_

 

_~~~_

 

_Futaba woke up again, but this time, Sojiro was sitting beside Futaba.  She moved her limp hand over to her adoptive father’s leg, alerting him that she was awake.  He quickly took out a bottle of medicine and a bottle of water, which he helped Futaba swallow.  “Take a rest, Futaba.  Akira told me you’d need it.”_

 

_As Futaba lay down, she regained her voice for a few moments.  “Where’s… Akira?”  She began to cough, which prompted Sojiro to offer her the water bottle again.  “He offered to take over LeBlanc while I helped you heal.  He said that I needed some sort of break.”_

 

_Futaba briefly nodded before drifting off into a deep, deep sleep..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading the entire chapter! If it was horrible, tell me so I can rewrite it before chapter 6 comes out. If it was fine, then nitpick. Or at least acknowledge me, it feels a bit lonely at times. Once again, thank you for reading!


	6. Shujin & Meiji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira and Futaba visit a teacher before Futaba drags Akira to the Meiji Shrine for... reasons?

_ “So, how have you been doing in Shujin so far?” _

 

_ The couple sat next to each other in the library.  To onlookers, they appeared to be siblings, and, because of that view, they acted as such.  Akira was occasionally annoyed at the fact that he couldn’t be open about their relationship and brag, but he knew Futaba would hate that.  As he contemplated when he should reveal the relationship to the other ex-Phantom Thieves, Futaba replied, shaking him out of his thoughts. _

 

_ “Not bad.  Every class is… way too easy.  I dunno why.  Maybe my intelligence stat is overleveled?” _

 

_ The two laughed quietly at the joke, with Joker returning his attention to his book and Oracle’s to her laptop.  A few minutes passed before Akira heard a clicking noise.  He looked up to see Futaba packing her bags.  “Leaving so soon?” he asked.  “Or are you going to finish your work at Leblanc?” _

 

_ Futaba let out a huff of indignation.  “I’m done already.  Can we go home now?  I want t-” _

 

_ A young, navy-haired girl quickly ran into the library, glancing around frantically before her eyes rested on Futaba.  “Hey, Futaba! Ms.-” _

 

_ A few people looked up from their books and paperwork to shush the yelling girl.  “Sorry,” she muttered, embarrassed, before looking back at Futaba.  “Ms. Kawakami wants to see you for a moment.” _

 

_ After the girl left as hastily as she had entered, Akira glanced at Futaba.  “You mind if I come, too?  I’m one of her ex-students, you know.” _

 

_ Futaba simply nodded as the two walked out, the door held open by Akira.  The two walked into the faculty office next door to see Kawakami sitting at a nearby table, wearing her classic oversized yellow sweater and jean dress.  She seemed to notice them only when the door closed.  She shot a glare at Akira before motioning for the two to come over. _

 

_ “So, why am I here again?” Futaba asked, interrupting the teacher as she opened her mouth.  “And no, I wasn’t changing the school Wi-Fi password again.” _

 

_ Kawakami shook her head.  “That’s not why I… ah, nevermind.  I called you here because I want to put you in a class with your seniors.”  Futaba looked at Akira, surprised.   _

 

_ “W-w-wait, what?” _

 

_ “I just told you, I’m putting you in a class with your seniors.  You’re too advanced for your current level, and I owe your brother over there a favor.” _

 

_ As Futaba shot a glance at Akira, he simply winked and nodded.  “Is that all?  I’m getting moved to a different class?” Futaba asked the teacher, tapping her foot.  “I have a game to tend to.” _

 

_ Once again, Kawakami shook her head and sighed.  She shot a look at Akira, having a silent battle before relenting.  “Are you fine with switching classes?  That’s what I need you to answer.” _

 

_ Futaba gave it a moment’s thought.  “I could try it for a bit, I guess.  If I like it, I’ll stay.” _

 

_ Kawakami nodded.  “Now off you two go.  And don’t forget to study!” she yelled as the two closed the door behind them.  Once outside of Shujin Academy, Akira asked, “Are you actually going to stay in the senior classes?” _

 

_ Futaba grinned.  “Hell yeah, I am!  I get bragging rights for something even you don’t have!”  She stuck out her tongue as she ran ahead.  Akira had to barely pick up his pace to catch up with her. _

 

_ “You’re really energetic today,” Akira observed.  “Did something happen?” _

 

_ Futaba grinned.  “Not yet,” she said, attempting (and failing) to be mysterious.  “Now come on!” _

 

_ ~~~ _

 

_ Futaba dragged Akira to the Meiji Shrine.  Without waiting for him to leave, the subway, she dashed out and ran through small crowds of people.  By the time Akira pushed his way through the human walls, he saw a glimpse of orange hair pass into the building.  He made his way into the shrine to see Futaba waiting for him.   _

 

_ “How much do you want to put in today?” he asked, confused at the sudden visit to the area. _

 

_ Futaba shrugged.  “Your choice,” she responded after a few moments of thinking. _

 

_ Akira pulled out two thousand yen and placed it inside, bowing and clapping twice for good luck.  A vision of… someone… was difficult to make out, but when he opened his eyes, Futaba still appeared to be in prayer.  A full minute passed before he tapped her shoulder, causing her to jump. _

 

_ “Ah!” she yelled, falling down.  Akira caught her, as she readjusted her glasses, slightly pink in the face.  “Don’t surprise me like that!” she said. _

 

_ Akira could only chuckle as Futaba berated him for what could have happened (concussion, lost money, bad fortune, etc.) as the duo left the shrine.  Immediately after they stepped through the doors, Futaba’s sensitive ears picked up on a familiar voice coming from quite a distance away. _

 

_ Once again, she dragged Akira behind her as she approached a familiar-looking coconut-head talking to a long-haired blonde.  The two could pick up bits and pieces as they made their way through clusters of people.   _

 

_ “Are- you aren- fune?” _

 

_ “I am- haya- but I won’t be answering ya questions, so ya better scram before I- oh!  Akira!” _

 

_ Ohya turned away from Chihaya, looking at Akira.   “Hey Akira, you know Ms. Mifune over here?” _

 

_ Akira held back a sigh.  “Again?  All of that stuff happened… what, a few months ago?  Why are you still chasing after all those people on the news?” _

 

_ Ohya shook her head.  “It isn’t for why they were on the news, really, but more so why.  There were a string of kidnapping incidents related to people who appeared on the television, you know.” _

 

_ Chihaya pouted, putting on a face that made her seem years younger.  “According to what you know, that happened back in ‘15!” _

 

_ For a moment, Ohya looked surprised, turning back around to face the fortune teller.  “What do you mean, ‘according to what I know’?” _

 

_ “I’m a fortune teller, didn’t I tell you before?” _

 

_ “And those powers are real?” _

 

_ “‘Course they are!  I’m not some sort of scam artist, you know.” _

 

_ The two began to bicker again, giving Akira time to pull Futaba away.  “Hold on a second here.  What’s with all the energy?  And why’d you bring us to those two?” _

 

_ Futaba shrugged.  “Dunno.  Deus ex machina or something?” _

 

_ “What is that, French?” _

 

_ “Latin.  It means- ah, nevermind.  To Leblanc!” _

 

_ “But... wait-!” _

 

_ Unfortunately for him, Futaba had already started running back to the station.  Akira sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.  He had no idea what had gotten into Futaba and simply resolved to sigh as a long, long day began. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and/or suffering through this chapter! PSATs are an absolute pain, and this series will be coming to a close... maybe in a bit? I might move onto a Pokemon-related project for a couple weeks before sifting back to Persona, though. Straining myself a bit here.
> 
> Also, sorry for a tiny bit of OOC to push my agenda. I don't want to dilly-dally for too long. I'll be seeing myself out for a couple/a few weeks, but I'll at least get something posted for the time being. Sorry everyone!


	7. Airsoft Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Futaba convinces Akira to take her to one of his part-time jobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back and I'm ready-ish to write some more fics! The story is coming to a close, and, after next week's chapter, I'll probably be moving on from P5 for a bit.

“Do I have to show you  _ this  _ particular part-time job?”

 

As Futaba nodded enthusiastically in affirmation, Akira sighed.  He had been lucky enough to weasel out of showing her his job at the Crossroads Bar, but something told him that he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of this one.  He took a long sip of coffee before setting the mug down onto Leblanc’s recently-cleaned counter.

 

“You sure?  This job’s a bit-”

 

As he began to speak, the Kurusu was interrupted when a finger was placed on his lips.

 

“You said that last time!” Futaba complained, pouting.  Akira could see a smile forming on the edges of her lips as she forced herself to keep the sour expression.  “We won’t get any more time after tomorrow!  Can we please do this?  Ryuji’s the only one who’s ever been to that store besides you in the first place, and he’s only been there once!”

 

“ _ This is going to be an absolute pain, _ ” Akira thought to himself.  “So, how about we wait unti-”

 

“Is that a yes I hear?  Then let’s go!”

 

“Wait, Fu-”

 

Akira could barely snatch his bag from the nearby booth as Futaba jumped off of her stool and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the open door.  She nearly pushed Sojiro and kicked Morgana out of the way, all while dragging a reluctant Akira behind with her.

 

~~~

 

Barely ten minutes had passed before Futaba stood in front of a strange store, hidden in the back of a dark and filthy alleyway.  He glanced at Futaba, who was rocking her heels impatiently.  After a quick nod, he opened the door and was greeted by the sight of model guns, toy weapons, fake armor, and superstitious charms.

 

“Yo.”

 

A deep, gruff voice came from behind a black curtain.  Iwai pulled it back, walking out of the storage room and sitting on his chair, putting his feet on the counter.  “What can I get you this time?” he inquired, his hat still pulled over his eyes.

 

Akira shrugged.  “Nothing this time.  Just came to visit.”

 

Iwai raised an eyebrow at that statement.  “‘Just came to visit’?  Don’t you have better places to be?”

 

“I probably do, but  _ someone _ wanted to come see what I did in the evenings.”

 

It was then Iwai took notice of the redhead standing by one of the gun stands, seemingly entranced by the details on the models.  He glanced at Akira before speaking.  “This your adoptive sister or something?”

 

“Not exactly,” Akira responded, shaking his head.  “She wanted to come here.”

 

If Iwai’s eyebrow could have raised higher, then it would have.  “Why would a  _ girl _ want to come to a gun store?”

 

It was at that moment that Futaba decided to pop up behind Akira.  “I was curious, aight?  Now, are model guns the only thing you sell?”

 

Iwai nodded, prompting Futaba to ask another question.  “Why are they the only thing you sell?  Why not real guns and stuff?”

 

Iwai winced.  “Long story.”  He jabbed his thumb in Akira’s general direction.  “Ask your brother over there, he should know.”

 

“We’re not siblings!”

 

Iwai waved the statement away.  “Doesn’t matter in the end, does it?  Anyways, like I was asking, why would a girl like  _ you _ want to come here?”

 

Futaba tilted her head, staring at Iwai with a confused expression.  “I wanted to see what my BF over here did when he wasn’t working at Leblanc!  Is there anything wrong with that?”

 

Iwai sighed.  “Guess not.”  He stood up from his chair, walking towards the curtains leading into the back room.  He turned to the two as he spoke up.  “You two gonna do anything else besides loitering around?  Not that I mind, but you two should get out of here before some authority sees you, Kurusu.”

 

After Iwai had passed the curtains, Akira stopped feigning interest in a nearby gun.  “Can we go now?” Akira questioned.  “We’re lucky Iwai wasn’t in a bad mood.”

 

Futaba giggled.  “If what I’ve heard is true, then he’s a lot more soft-hearted than you let him on to be.”

 

Akira glanced at her.  “Where’d you hear that?”

 

“I have my own contacts, y’know,” Futaba said as she winked at him.  “I was Medjed, remember?”

 

He chuckled.  “I thought you gave up on that.”

 

“I did!”

 

The couple continued bickering as they exited the store, Akira holding the door open for Futaba.  As the two stepped outside, they were confronted by a familiar figure.

 

~~~

 

“Sae?”

 

The thin, white-haired woman and the couple exchanged glances as they stood in front of the airsoft store.  Akira was the one to break the silence.  “What are you doing here?”

 

Sae shook her head out of her state of shock.  “I’m gathering information for a court case.  Apparently, this airsoft store has some sort of affiliation with the yakuza.”

 

Futaba visibly saw Akira pale a little as he nodded.  “We’ll be heading back to Yongen-Jaya.  Care to stop by for some coffee later?”

 

The defendant attorney shook her head.  “Can’t.  This case is a big one; people have been disappearing at a nearly consistent rate, and the police are claiming an ex-yakuza member is one of the culprits.”

 

“Good luck on the case, then.”

 

Sae nodded.  “Stay safe.”

 

After Sae had entered the airsoft store, Futaba asked, “Can’t I help her at all?  I could probably hack into someone’s files and-”

 

Akira shook his head.  “If you do that, then Sae will have to go through the process of explaining how she got her evidence.  It’s better to let her handle this on her own for now; she’ll come to us for help if she needs it.  Besides, she’s a Niijima; she can definitely handle this herself.”

 

Futaba nodded.  “I guess it makes sense.  Now, you said we were going back?  But I want to see your job in Shinjuku!”

 

Akira sighed.  “I told you this already; we aren’t going there.  It’s a lot more dangerous than this place.  I’ve been scammed a few times there already.”

 

“Aw, but-!”

 

“No buts.  We’re going back Leblanc right now, young lady.”

 

The two began their bickering once again, walking towards the subway.  They would bicker and bicker, at least until-

 

~~~

 

“Do I really sound like that?”

 

Futaba pushed herself away from Akira’s chest, her cheeks now tainted with dry tears.

 

“Of course you don’t.  At least, you don’t for some of that.”

 

Futaba let out a stifled giggle before weakly punching Akira on the arm.  “You’re a good storyteller, you know that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for sticking around! Next week is hopefully going to be the final chapter, leading to the conclusion of the story. If it isn't then I apologize in advance.


	8. Fin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short finish to an 8-chapter story. Cheers!

Futaba was listening attentively as she leaned into Akira’s shirt.  It had been long since her tears had dried up.  The memories of the many confidants she had met resurfaced as Akira’s stories progressed, each becoming less of reliving an experience and more of being a part of a fantasy.  As he finished the final “chapter”, Futaba spoke up.

 

“You’re a good storyteller, you know that?”

 

Akira laughed quietly at the comment.  He took a single moment to reminisce about the day of November 20th: the very day he spent in the interrogation room.  “Of course I know.”

 

“Why don’t you do it more often then?”

 

“Never had a need or reason to tell anyone stories.”

 

“But they’re great!”

 

“If they’re that good, what’s to say that this entire conversation isn’t just part of a story?” Akira joked, placing his arm around Futaba.  “Why would I even refer to myself in third person in the first place?”

 

“Because… it’s more interesting, I guess?”

 

The two shrugged at each jokingly, bursting out into a bout of short-lived laughter.  They then sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, and soon, Akira noticed that Futaba had fallen asleep.  He stood up slowly, gently placing the sleeping girl on her bed.  He pulled out his phone and quickly checked the time.

 

“Nine-thirty, huh.”  He glanced at the door, then at a small notepad he had in his pockets.  He had an appointment with a certain… someone.  Akira gathered his things and walked towards the door, opening it.  He stood in the open doorway as he turned off the lights, but, before the door fully closed, Futaba whispered something so softly that he could barely pick up on it.  “Don’t leave me.”  Frowning, he re-entered the room and pulled up Futaba’s chair, sitting quietly and contemplatively on it and observing the quiet sleeper.

 

A hand reached upwards, one that Akira grasped firmly.  He put it onto his heart for what felt like an eternity, waiting for Futaba’s expression to loosen up.  As it did, he gently put it over her own heart and began to leave once again.  As he closed the door behind him, he whispered softly to the quiet room.

 

“Sweet dreams, Oracle.  Sweet dreams.”

 

And with that, the Joker was on his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, sweet, and simple. I guess I just didn't know how to end this, so I wrote up a small blurb. Work and Thanksgiving are really starting to catch up with me. Sorry y'all. Also, check out the other things I wrote while I write the next fic. Adios!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is my first fanfic on Ao3, imported from fanfiction.net. If you have any criticism, then, please, tell me.


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